Just Roommates
by robin's clone
Summary: Five times they were just roommates and one time they were more.


**Just Roommates**

**1. Shopping**

Why Aidan had to come to the grocery store with me I'll never understand. It wasn't like he ever actually ate the food I made. Sure he pretended to and maybe even force down a few bites, but for all he cared he was eating dog food. Yet, here he was walking up and down the aisles with me.

Much to my annoyance Aidan kept putting thing in the shopping cart not on my list. Shopping was the one place my OCD was good; if it wasn't on the list it didn't get purchased. Any protests I made were ignored.

"Aidan, we really don't need four packages of Oreos. You won't eat them I don't like them, and Sally can't eat them."

"What if we have guests?" 

"We never have any guests." I sighed and surreptitiously put the Oreos back on the shelf.

This game continued throughout the store until we arrived at the checkout line. I began loading items onto the conveyor belt, and so intent was I on my task that I didn't notice Aidan's last contribution to our shopping until the cashier commented on it.

"You boys in for an exciting evening?"

I frowned; '_What was she talking about?'_ I looked up from my task to see what she was holding. Four packages of condoms were in her fire engine red manicured hands. I felt my face heat up, matching her nails, and I stammered out, "Oh, no, we aren't a couple," as I gestured to Aidan and myself.

She just raised a painted on eyebrow and snapped her bubblegum, before continuing to scan our items, muttering, "You sure look like one to me."

If possible my face turned even redder as the next item her hand came across was a bottle of lube (another one of Aidan's contributions.) This time I didn't bother to contradict her; I just grabbed Aidan's sleeve and dragged him out of the store, all the while swearing to never to allow him to go shopping with me again.

**2. Paint Chips**

Why Josh wanted my opinion on paint chips was beyond me. I had no real opinion beyond banning the color red from shared living space. What he did in his own room was between him and his wolf.

Originally I'd suggested that Sally go with him to the hardware store, but she was too busy haunting Danny to care about paint samples. Additionally, Josh didn't want people to think he was talking to himself. So after looking into his brown eyes, opened wide for full puppy dog guilt, here I now stand debating the different between dusty blue and blue dust.

"Which do you like better Aidan?"

"Honestly?" Josh nodded vigorously. "They look the same to me."

He gasped in offense, "They are completely different. Can't you see that?"

As he shoved the paint chips in my face he asked, his voice border line hysterical, "Don't you even care? This is our home we're talking about."

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, as Josh turned away to look at the yellows, I heard a chuckle from behind me. I turned and saw an older (at least in appearance he was older) a gentleman standing there.

Still slightly chuckling he spoke, "Mine is the exact same, but what would we do without them?"

"Whoa, we are not a couple. We're just roommates."

The older man winked and nodded knowingly, as Josh came back to my side.

"Look at this shade of yellow Aidan, isn't it fabulous?" He grabbed my hand and tugged me over to the yellows. As I followed, I turned and saw the older man joined by another older man. The first caught my eye and winked at me once more before moving out of sight.

**3. Lunch**

It wasn't unusual for Aidan and me to have to eat lunch together. Well, I would eat and Aidan would just watch me. If it was nice outside we would eat outside. Today was one of those days.

Some days Aidan had chips out to make it look like he ate. Apparently, no one ever noticed that he brought the same bag of chips everyday. I was stealing some of his chips when a couple walked by and the woman said, "Awww isn't that cute? It's so nice of him to let his boyfriend steal some of his chips."

I flushed, as Aidan glared, and stood up and yelled, loud enough to startle the birds and to make everyone in the park look at our group, "He's not my boyfriend! We're just roommates!"

Aidan sat back down with a huff; while I continued to steal his chips.

**4. Ellie the Elephant**

It was unusual for Aidan and I to have contact with the same patients. But the children's ward had been short handed and we'd been volunteered.

One day while I was helping my favorite patient, Sarah, get ready for bed, Aidan walked in. "Hey Sarah, how's Ellie?" I watched as Aidan listened patiently to everything that Sarah and Ellie had done that day.

When she was done speaking, Aidan addressed me, "When you're ready Josh, I'll be waiting by the front entrance for you. Remember, we have to get Sally's birthday gift before we go home."

I nodded; it'd been my idea to get her a gift. Aidan was just humoring me.

"Josh, are you and Aidan married?" I heard Sarah ask from her bed. I turned back towards her before tucking her covers in around her.

"No, we're just roommates."

Sarah looked disappointed and picked at her blankets. "It would be okay if you were. My uncles are and they have a cat named Rum Tum Tugger. Aidan is really nice and always brings me my favorite purple popsicles. I think you'd be perfect together because you're really nice too."

As she snuggled into her blankets with he stuffed elephant Ellie, she whispered, "You can tell me. I'd only tell Ellie, and she's really good at keeping secrets."

"I bet she is. Night Sarah." I turned out the lights, and as I left the room I thought, _'Being with Aidan might be kind of nice.'_

**5. Flowers**

'_Damn Josh and his desire to make other people happy, even dead ones' _was my current thought as I stood in the middle of the florist's shop sans Josh. It'd been Josh's idea to get Sally flowers for her birthday and since she could touch things a sweater or chocolates would be appropriate.

But then next to the florist's had been a bookstore, so Josh decide to get a book on tape for her to listen to as well. Leaving me to buy her flowers, his argument had been that at 200 years old I must have given lots of girls flowers.

The florist was currently arranging the daffodils and orange tulips in the vase Josh had picked before abandoning me. Josh came back into the shop just as the florist finished wrapping the flowers in protective plastic. The florist then rang them up while I got out my wallet.

"Do you need a card? We have some lovely ones for a girlfriend."

"They're not for a girlfriend."

'The florist pressed on and inclined his head towards the front of the store, where Josh sniffing candles, "A boyfriend then? We have cards for them too."

"We're just roommates."

At that moment Josh saw the flowers and almost sighed as he said, "Oh Aidan, they're beautiful."

The florist just raised an eyebrow, as he swiped my debit card. I signed my name with a flourish and dragged Josh out of the shop ignoring his cheerful chattering. As we left, my last thoughts were, _'Damn you, Josh.'_

**+1. A bartender, Sally, Josh, and some others**

It was the birthday of some lab tech from the hospital and Josh had insisted on attending and since Josh was attending so was I. I was leaning up against the bar, the half drunk beer in my hand slowly getting warmer, as I watched Josh interact with some of the other party goers. He was smiling and laughing, and looked like he was having a great time.

Josh broke away from the crowd and weaved his way towards me. "Having fun Aidan?" he asked when he was right in front of me.

I raised an eyebrow at him and replied, "Define fun."

Josh laughed, bumped me with his shoulder, and then ordered another beer. "I promise we won't stay much longer."

I nodded and watched him make his way back towards the party goers. He turned back once, raising his beer to me and I returned the gesture. The bartender spoke from behind me, "Are you two a couple?'

I turned sideways, so I could she the bartender and still see Josh, "Yeah."

She nodded, as if confirming something to herself. "I think it's cute. How long have you guys been together?"

I smiled sardonically, "How long have others known we were a couple or when we finally figured it out?"

The bartender laughed and said, "Both."

"Apparently, we've been a couple for months, but officially just for eight days." It had been Josh who'd made the first move, well, more of a statement really.

We'd been watching some movie, called Lord of the Rings, at Sally's insistence and Josh had been enthralled.

"They make such a cute couple," sighed Sally.

"Wait. What?"

She looked away from the screen, "Isn't it obvious that they're together?"

Josh and I both shook our heads 'no.'

"Aragorn and Legolas are definitely together."

"What about that girl elf and the blonde chick?" I asked.

"Oh please, Aragorn and Legolas are best friends." She ticked off reasons on her fingers. "They fight for and protect each other, they have inside jokes, and most importantly, have you seen they way they look at each other?"

Josh looked at me out the corner of his eye and shifted uncomfortably, but spoke anyway, "So kind of like Aidan and me."

Sally smirked at us, "Exactly." Right before she disappeared.

Josh shifted again, but this time it was so he was facing me, "So…Awkward, right? I mean, there's no way you like me back. So…yeah. I'm going to go get another beer from the fridge."

Josh stood up and picked up his empty bottle, while I blinked up at him like a fish. He was halfway to the kitchen when I found my voice.

"Josh, wait, I like you too."

Josh turned back towards me, dropping the empty bottle; it broke, but for once Josh didn't fret over his precious floors. He took a step towards me, "Really?"

"Really, really." I winced a little when my answer came out sounding like Shrek, but Josh didn't seem to notice he was too busy tackling me and squeezing my neck. I slowly put my arms around him and brought him closer, content just to hold him.

His voice was muffled in my shoulder, but I heard him anyway, "So does this mean we aren't just roommates?"

**A.N.: Alternate ending. Let me know which one you liked better. **

Fast forward to now and the party, I saw a man around 30, with blonde hair, and a medium build, put his hand on Josh's arm. My eyes narrowed as the man's hand lingered. And when Josh turned puppy dog eyes on me, I was at his side an instant later.

"Hey buddy, it's time to let go."

"I don't hear any complaints."

I stifled a growl and replied, "Then you must not hear too well, because it's pretty obvious that he wants you to let go."

"And just who are you?"

"I'm just the boyfriend."

He looked me up and down and foolishly determined that I wasn't much of threat. _'Ok, I admit that I did _'suggest'_ the idea to him.' _But it did get him to let go of Josh's arm.

"Well, boyfriend, why don't we take this outside?" I stiffened ready to defend Josh's honor.

Josh finally spoke up, "Aidan."

I looked at him, but continued to watch the other guy from the corner of my eye. Josh put a hand on my arm, "Come on Aidan, let's just go home."

I looked him over, saw the sincerity in his features and posture, and nodded once. I turned to follow him out, as he waved good-bye to the hospital staffers.

The other man, apparently realizing that his prey was leaving, decided now was the time to take action, and tried to punch me in the kidney. Before he could connect, I spun around, grabbed his wrist and squeezed, stopping just short of breaking it.

Once again it was Josh who rescued the bastard. He placed a hand on top of mine and whispered, "Aidan, I think he got the message."

I let go reluctantly and continued to follow Josh out the bar. Once outside Josh took my hand and entwined our fingers.

"So, I guess everybody at work knows about us now." I said to break the silence.

Josh squeezed my fingers and said, "They already knew we weren't just roommates."


End file.
